Hindus object to Tory immigration poster

A Conservative party election poster opposite a Hindu temple has been condemned by worshippers for provoking racial hatred.

The 14ft long poster - copies of which have been plastered on billboards across the country - reads: "It's not racist to impose limits on immigration".

But worshippers at the Shree Swaminarayan Temple in Portslade, near Brighton, took a different view and have accused the Tories of provoking racial hatred.

Dipak Valand, a member of the temple, said: "Those who saw it felt it was not appropriate, primarily because there is a cultural community centre here. Its position anywhere in that area would have been seen as quite offensive."

Another regular visitor to the shrine, Jipesh Shamji, said the poster could give out the message that it is acceptable to be racist.

"Most of us were unhappy with the poster," he said. "The words 'racist' and 'immigration' are mentioned and it puts our community and other faiths on the spot."

And Ashok Patel added: "Some of our people are immigrants. The poster draws attention to the issue of racism and we don't want this problem on our doorstep."

Dr Abduljalil Sajid, the chairman of the Muslim Council for Religious and Racial Harmony, said the problem was not talking about asylum and immigration, but the spin that is being put on the issues.

"The tone of the debate is racist and so is this poster because it is creating demonisation of certain sections of the community. We ask politicians not to target black and Asian minorities. Racism, Islamophobia and anti-semitism are deep-rooted in society and this approach is not helping," said Dr Sajid.

The poster has now been taken down, but it is unclear if its removal was in response to the protests.

A spokeswoman for the Conservatives said the poster was not racist and was based on a legitimate issue, as one of the party's five campaign priorities.

"I'm surprised it's been taken down because the poster is not racist," she said.

The Tory candidate for Hove and Portslade, Nicholas Boles, was contacted by MediaGuardian.co.uk but had not returned calls by the time of publication.